High-precision measurement data for the optimization of cooling lubricants

Blaser Swisslube AG, located in Hasle-Rüegsau, is a leading manufacturer of lubricants for metal parts manufacturing. In the development of new cooling lubricants, the Swiss company relies on Kistler's measurement expertise. High-precision measurement data ensures that the cooling lubricants are adapted exactly to the application requirements and that they function reliably in practical use.

More than Eighty specialists, research and experiment engineers at Blaser Swisslube are located in the Development and Technology center, with the goal to solve present and future challenges. The development of new machines, materials and processes leads to new application areas for cooling lubricants and, thus, to new challenges. To address these challenges, the properties of newly developed cooling lubricants are tested and optimized. Blaser Swisslube generates measurement data under industrial operating conditions with the goal of recording a wide range of parameters for analysis of cooling and lubricating behavior.

Because cutting force components are directly related to the tribological ratios in the cutting zone, recording these components is very important in assessing new lubricant recipes. This information can be used to gain detailed knowledge of the lubricating properties of a cooling lubricant and its constituent parts as well as to analyze the influences of the cooling lubricant with increasing tool wear. The demands on the dynamics and accuracy of the measuring system are likewise correspondingly high. It is important that the stability in the cutting process not be negatively influenced. The conditions of industrial production can thereby be maintained and valid measurement results obtained. For measurements in this extreme range, a very rigid and compact measuring system must be used.

The Kistler 3-component measuring system 9129A is used in the measurements performed by Blaser Swisslube. The instrument satisfies all requirements with respect to accuracy, dynamics and very high rigidity. Furthermore, it is compact and can be installed directly in the machine without significant effort. The system is used in all cutting tests on the lathe and delivers reliable data on cutting force, feed force and passive force. Thanks to the piezo technology that is used, the measuring range and the resolution can easily be adapted to the respective application without changing the stability of the system.

By constantly recording the force, Blaser Swisslube is able to compare cooling lubricants and their constituent parts.

Depending on the cooling lubricant technology, the force distributions vary greatly. Together with other modern measurement tools, we are thereby able to exactly record the mechanisms of action of the cooling lubricant in the cutting process."